Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Some members of the Rivers State Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended its chairman, Emeka Beke, legal adviser and Iheanyichukwu Azubuike over alleged anti-party activities in the February 25, 2023 presidential election in the state.
This is just as Beke has reacted that the said executive members has no power to suspend him, alleging that the development was a continuous onslaught by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state against the party.
Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved executive members, Dr. Chike Enyinda, (Special Leader) alleged that the party chairman connived with the leadership of the APC in the state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to influence members to vote for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar in the national election.
The executive members who addressed journalists yesterday in Port Harcourt, on the development are: Omiete Eferebo (Deputy Chairman), Oyor Fredrick (Assistant Secretary), Chidi Nweke (Auditor), Chike Enyinda (Special Leader), Obidinma Igwe (Vice Chairman Rivers East Senatorial District), Chigbo John (Financial Secretary) and Jumi N. Godwin (Deputy Youth Leader).
Others are Chisa Ogboke (Rivers West Youth Leader), Amadi Brilliant (Ex-officio) and Hajia Ramatu Aisha (Leader, Non indigenes).
According to Enyinda, the State APC is in a state of ‘comatose’, adding that larger members, in the past eight years, have been suffering while a few of the party chieftains are enjoying the state quota from the national.
The party executive also condemned the statement credited to the former Rivers governor, Amaechi, which alleged that a relationship between the National Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Yakubu Mahmood and the President-elect, Ahmed Bola Tinubu led to the APC presidential victory.
They therefore, urged the deputy chairman, Omiete Eferebo to commence leadership of the party in the state pending outcome of committee of enquiry on the allegations.
They said: “This leaders which include, the State Party Chairman Chief Emeka Beke and the Legal Adviser Mr. Iheanyichukwu Azubuike under the overall leadership of Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi have since 2021 held this party on her kneels in Rivers State and have been responsible for the mass exodus of members of the party as well as the failures experienced by the party in the just concluded general elections in the state.
“Instead of been remorseful for what he did to the party, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi decided to hinge the blame on our dear President elect Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu claiming that he single handedly appointed the INEC Chairman Yakubu Mahmood. As party faithful, we consider this statement by Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi as an affront to our President elect and the highest level of anti-party activity.
“This party in Rivers State have suffered a lot of setbacks, so many are suffering since the last eight years and yet himself and his cronies are happily enjoying the Rivers Quota from the centre with no recourse to the needs and sufferings of our teaming party faithful across the state.”
They stated that Beke was suspended indefinitely for anti-party activities, gross misconduct and financial mismanagement pending the outcome of an independent Committee of inquiry as may be set up by the party.
“That until the outcome of the committee of inquiry, Mr Omiete Eferebo the deputy chairman assumes the office of the acting Chairman with immediate effect.
“That Mr. Iheanyichukwu Azubuike, the Legal Adviser of the party also stands suspended for anti-party activities and financial mismanagement pending the outcome of the committee of inquiry”.
Enyinda called on the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu to set up an independent panel of inquiry to look into the listed issues and ensure a lasting solution to the problems of the party in the state.
In a swift reaction, Beke, Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju, respectively, maintained that the excos have no power to suspend the anyone in the party. They said the executive members are allegedly doing the bids of the PDP and the state government.
Nwauju said: “We think that this is politics taking too low and we are not surprised because is the beginning of PDP in Rivers State to ensure that the APC does not have the opportunity to challenge shambolic conduct of elections that took place in the state on February 25 and March 18, 2023 respectively.
“That event was sponsored by the PDP and outgoing government in Rivers State who are bent on ensuring that opposition does not thrive in the state. The PDP are not interested in the existence of any other political parties and so is a part of a larger scheme to ensure we have a one party state.
“There is no part of this constitution that suggest that the party executive of the APC can be nominated, elected or recommended at a venue of press briefing or at a hotel resort or any other place not properly known to the law or constitution of the party. The state working committee of the party does not have powers to suspend any member of the party.”
Nwauju added: “The state working committee under Article 21 of the 2022 constitution of the party as amended only give room for the committee to recommend suspension to the state executive council which is the fuller constituted body encompasses past members of the national assembly and former or present principal officer in the national assembly.”
